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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2004 BMW X3 Recalls & Complaints

The 2004 BMW X3 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 138 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized BMW dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2004 BMW X3. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2004 BMW X3 owner complaints

Owners have filed 138 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 BMW X3, describing incidents dated July 25, 2003 to July 30, 2025.

Most-cited components

  • Seats 33 complaints
  • Air Bags 32 complaints
  • Electrical System 18 complaints
  • Engine 17 complaints
  • Power Train 11 complaints
  • Structure 8 complaints

Of the 138 complaints on file, 13 report a crash and 13 a fire; across all 138 complaints, owners report 17 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11685452 · Filed

    Odometer failed - unable to get this fixed!

  • ODI #11534460 · Filed

    AIRBAG LAMP REMIANS ON DUE TO FAILED PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTION MAT. HONOLULU BMW DEALER CLAIMS RECALL 08V384000 WAS PERFORMED JULY 18, 2008- WHICH IS THE EXACT SAME DATE LISTED IN THE RECALL AS BMW'S REPORT DATE TO NHTSA. THE RECALL CAMPAIGN AND PROCEDURE DID NOT GET PUBLISHED OR BEGIN FOR…

  • ODI #11491797 · Filed

    The contact ownd a 2004 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, she dozed off behind the wheel when the vehicle crashed into the rear of a tow truck. As a result, the front end of the vehicle was damaged. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained an injury…

Read all 138 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2004 BMW X3 in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT

NHTSA #08V384000 · Air Bags — Frontal · NHTSA notice

Reported August 5, 2008 · BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC

Potentially affected: 200,000 vehicles

Owners notified November 6, 2008 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

BMW IS RECALLING 200,000 MY 2006 3 SERIES SPORT SEAT, MY 2004-2006 5 SERIES STANDARD AND SPORT SEAT, AND MY 2004-2006 X3 PASSENGER VEHICLES. DEPENDING ON THE MANNER AND FREQUENCY OF THE FRONT PASSENGER'S ENTRY AND EXIT, SMALL CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE MAT. IF THIS OCCURS, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE HEAD PROTECTION SYSTEM, WILL BE DEACTIVATED AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP AS WELL AS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG "ON-OFF" LAMP WILL BE ILLUMINATED.

Safety consequence

IN THIS SITUATION THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY EVEN IF A SUFFICIENTLY SEVERE ACCIDENT WOULD OCCUR AND OCCUPANT PROTECTION PROVIDED BY THE SYSTEM WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REWORK THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT SO THAT EXTERNAL FORCE APPLICATION TO THE SEAT DOES NOT CAUSE A CRACK TO THE MAT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 6, 2008. BMW WILL ALSO EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THESE VEHICLES TO 10 YEARS FROM FIRST REGISTRATION WITHOUT ANY MILEAGE LIMIT. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-525-7417.

Notes

BMW IS EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO 10 YEARS FROM FIRST REGISTRATION WITHOUT ANY MILEAGE LIMIT TO THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES:MY 2006 6-SERIES, 3-SERIES (STANDARD SEAT), MY 2004-2005 Z4, MY 2004-2006 7-SERIES, MY 2006 X5, AND MY 2004-2006 5-SERIES (COMFORT SEAT).UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM, THE OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT IN A VEHICLE THAT EXPERIENCES THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE WILL BE REPLACED AT NO CHARGE TO THE CUSTOMER.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Other BMW X3 model years

Check your 2004 BMW X3 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your BMW X3 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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